Cracking down on the newly-floated offshoots of proscribed Pakistan-backed terrorist outfits operating in Jammu and Kashmir, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday conducted raids at five locations in South Kashmir.
The raids were conducted in the three districts of Anantnag, Shopian and Pulwama in the Kashmir valley. During the searches, the NIA seized several digital devices containing massive incriminating data.
"The locations raided today were residential premises of hybrid terrorists and Overground Workers (OGWs) linked with the newly-formed offshoots and affiliates of several banned Kashmiri terrorist outfits. Premises of sympathisers and cadres of these organisations were also raided. We suspect their involvement in the collection and distribution of sticky bombs, magnetic bombs, IEDs, funds, narcotic substances and arms and ammunition," said the NIA.
An official said that all these cadres and workers were being investigated for activities relating to terror, violence and subversion in J&K.
The official said that the J&K terror conspiracy case was registered suo moto by the NIA on June 21, 2022.
The case pertains to a physical and online conspiracy by the banned terror organisations to launch a series of violent terrorist attacks in J&K with sticky bombs, IEDs and small arms.
The NIA said that the Pakistan-backed outfits are also engaged in radicalising local youth and mobilising overground workers, to disturb peace and communal harmony in J&K.
As per NIA investigations, Pak-based operatives behind the conspiracy were using various social media platforms to spread terror among the people. They were also using drones to deliver arms, ammunition, explosives, narcotics to their agents and cadres in the Kashmir valley.
"The newly floated terror outfits under investigation include The Resistance Front (TRF), United Liberation Front Jammu & Kashmir (ULFJ&K), Mujahideen Gazwat-ul-Hind (MGH), Jammu & Kashmir Freedom Fighters (JKFF), Kashmir Tigers, PAAF and others. These outfits are affiliated to major banned terrorist organisations like Laskhar-e-Toiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM), Al-Badr, Al-Qaeda," said the official.